Jammu: At least 15 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a retaliatory firing by Indian forces along International Border in the past week , according to reports.

“We are not yet confirmed about the number of causalities on the other side, but approximately 15 Pak army men have died, said Arun Kumar., ADG, BSF.

Today Pakistani troops continued the ceasefire violations with firing and mortar shelling on Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC and international border in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts, leaving a girl injured.

BSF and Army have responded “appropriately and befittingly” a defence spokesman said.

“There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Sunderbani, Pallanwala and Nowshera sectors of Rajouri and Jammu districts today,” the spokesman said.
They used small arms, automatics, 82 mm mortars and 120 mm mortars in the firing and shelling, he said.

“They are being responded appropriately and befittingly. No casualties to our troops have been reported,” he said.

Firing and shelling continued overnight along the international border.

“At 1720 hour yesterday, Pakistan Rangers started unprovoked heavy firing and helling in Katgus Sector of Jammu which further spread to Hiranagar and Samba.

“It continued till 0500 hours till today in area of 24 BSF posts,” a senior BSF officer said, adding the BSF responded strongly after which the firing stopped.

“Some Pakistani posts and villages have suffered heavy damage, he said.

On the Indian side, a girl was injured in the ceasefire violation, the officer said.

Yesterday, a Pakistani Ranger was killed and another injured in the retaliatory firing by BSF, as Pakistani troops heavily shelled five sectors along LoC and IB in J&K in which one BSF jawan died and 13 other civilians were injured.

While Pakistani troops pounded BoPs and hamlets along IB in Kathua, Hiranagar sectors (Kathua), R S Pura and Arnia sectors (Jammu) and Samba sector, they also targeted forward Indian posts and villages along LOC in Krishnagati, Balakote and Mankote sectors (Poonch) and Sunderbani sector (Rajouri) yesterday.

Since surgical strikes by army on terror launch pads in PoK on September 28-29, five Indians, including four security personnel, have been killed and 34 injured in ceasefire violations.

On October 21, BSF killed seven Pak rangers and a terrorist opposite to Hiranagar sector along In in Kathua, in which one BSF jawan was injured.

On October 25, at least 2-3 Pakistani armymen are believed to have been killed in retaliatory firing by Indian troops in the Noushera sector of Rajouri district.

(PTI/Agencies)

New Delhi: Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma made a faux pas at an event here when he addressed New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key as “McCullum”.

The event was organized to promote New Zealand tourism in India and, apart from Sharma and Key, Brendon McCullum, who earlier skippered that country’s cricket team in all three forms of the game, was also present.

The gaffe happened when Sharma began his speech, addressing Key as “His excellency Prime Minister McCullum”.

Moments after the minister made the blunder, Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra, who is New Zealand tourism’s ambassador in India, rose to speak but could not recall Sharma’s name. After fumbling for a few seconds, he said wittily “It’s payback time”.

The event was aimed at promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries and, ignoring the mix up, Key said New Zealand is looking forward to having more Indian tourists visiting the nation.

He said getting Malhotra on board was their way of attracting youngsters from India to visit the country which is one of the best destinations for adventure and nature tourism.

Malhotra, who visited New Zealand last year to shoot some promotional videos, was presented an All Blacks (rugby team) jeresy by the Prime Minister and, to honour the foreign dignitary on his India visit, the actor gifted him a handmade lion depicting confidence and power.

The 31-year-old actor will be travelling across New Zealand for around 10 days to shoot a new set of promotional videos.

(PTI)

Bengaluru: Karnataka government on Wednesday said it would seek a financial assistance of more than Rs 3,760 crore from the Centre towards drought and flood relief works against an estimated loss of Rs 14,630 crore to crops and properties caused by the natural calamities.

A delegation led by Revenue Minister and Agriculture Minister would submit a memorandum to the Centre placing the state’s demands, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after a cabinet meeting here.

The state government has already declared 110 taluks as drought hit with the loss to crops and properties pegged at Rs 12,145 crore.

Assistance of Rs 3,373 crore for drought relief would be sought as per the guidelines of National Disaster Relief Fund and State Disaster Relief Fund, he said.

As regards the damage caused by floods in Kalburagi, Bidar and Yadgir districts, he said the loss to crops and properties was estimated at over Rs. 2,485 crore against which over Rs 386 crore would be sought from the Centre as relief.

Jayachandra said the Centre would be asked to provide assistance to help tackle the water and fodder problems on a priority basis.

He said the cabinet also gave administrative approval for the recommendations of a cabinet sub-committee to ensure that jobs reserved for the physically challenged would not be allotted to any other category.

(Agencies)

Mumbai: Worried over circulation of fake currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination, the RBI on Wednesday asked the public to make it a habit to examine the notes before accepting them in the usual course of transactions.

“It has come to our notice that unscrupulous elements are putting into circulation fake Indian currency notes of higher denominations in the course of normal transactions, taking advantage of the gullible and unsuspecting nature of some members of the public,” the RBI said.

The central bank has cautioned the public to subject notes that are accepted to “careful scrutiny”.

Genuine Indian currency notes of higher denominations have strong counterfeit resistant security features, it said, adding the fake notes can be identified on closer inspection.

Detailed information on the security features on the banknotes are available on RBI website. “People are requested to make it a habit of looking at the notes before accepting them in the usual course of daily transactions and help arrest the counterfeiting of banknotes,” the RBI said.

The Reserve Bank is also considering additional identity requirements for the use of banknotes in large numbers. Counterfeiting of notes, or possession, exchange, acceptance, putting into circulation of counterfeit notes or in any way abetting such actions are offences under the Indian Penal Code and such actions are liable to be punished stringently.

The Reserve Bank has appealed to the public for cooperation and also authorities in containing the menace of circulation of counterfeit notes.

(PTI)